Magic card box



June 10, 1930. c, F, BREWER 1,762,501

MAGIC CARD BOX Filed April 12, 1928 .ZiuJenZO 4 7 Carl Fffirekmey conveniently manipulated by Patented June 10, 1930 PATENT OFFICE CARL F. BREHMER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA MAGIC CARD BOX Application filed April 12,

My invention relates to magic card boxes, that is to say, to a box adapted to be used in magical performances for various card tricks, for example, for the surreptitious exchange of one card for another, for the magical appearance of a card in the box after the same has been; shown apparently empty, for the restoration of a torn card, and in a variety of other magical eifects, which are well known to those skilled in the art of pretended magic.

Heretofore, in the performance of tricks with cards, various devices, generically known among magicians as card boxes, have been used for the above mentioned purposes, but such devices have been more or less clumsy, difficult to 1nanipulate,or of suspicious appearance, which greatly detracted from the efiect sought to be produced by the performer.

The object, therefore, of the present invention is to provide a card box for the purposes above mentioned, which will be of simple and innocent appearance, which can be easily and the performer, and in which the secret construction thereof will not be apparent to the spectators.

The nature and characteristic features of my invention will be more readily understood from the following description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which:

' Figure l is aperspective view of a magic card box inthe open condition, as the same appears at the end of a trick performed by theuse thereof;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section thereof, slightly enlarged, thesame being shown in the closed condition y --j.Fig. 3 is a similar longitudlnal sectlon thereof; and

' Figs. 4 and 5 are, respectively, views of the two faces of the box in the closed condition,

.. the samebeing shown on a reduced scale.

Referring to the drawings, in the particular embodiment of my invention therein shown, there is provided a U-shaped frame comprising end members 6 and 7, and a front member 8. The frame members 6, 7 and 8 are recessed to support a partition 9, which subdivides the interior of the box nto two 7 the body portion 1928. Serial No. 269,342.

compartments 10 and 11. The compartment 11 is preferably of a somewhat greater depth than the compartment 10, for a purpose to be presently explained.

It should be noted, however, that the par- 5 tition 9 is preferably fixedly secured by soldering or sweating or in any other preferred manner, in the recesses 12 and 18 of the members 6 and 7, respectively, thereby to give rigidity to the structure. However, in the member 8 the partition is preferably loosely mounted in the recess 14 thereof, so as to permit the member 8 to be sprung in a manner and for a purpose to he presently explained.

At the side of the box remote from the member 8, and extending from the end of the member 6 to the end of the member 7, is a hinge pin 15. Immediately adjacent the member 6, a sleeve 16 is mounted on the hinge pin 15, and immediately adjacent the member 7 a sleeve 17 is mounted on said hinge pin. These members 16 and 17 are preferably fixedly secured to the respective members 6 and 7, and to the adjacent portions of the partition 9, by soldering, sweating or otherwise, to further enhance the rigidity of the structure.

Rotatably mounted on the hinge pin 15 are a plurality of sleeves 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22. The sleeves 19 and 21 serve as a means for hingedly mounting a door 23 with respect to of the box. The door 23 serves to close the compartment 10, and is provided with a finger button 24 for the convenient manipulation of said door.

When the door 23 is in the closed position, one edge thereof is seated upon a ledge 25 provided along the inner side of the frame member 8, and also at the top and bottom the door is seated on the ledges 26 and 27 provided along the inner sidesof the frame members 6 and 7 respectively. It should here be noted that the door 23 is so dimensioned and shaped with respect to the frame members of the box that said door maybe freely opened and closed when desired.

The sleeve members 18, 20 and 22 serve as a means for hingedly mounting door 28 with respect to the body portion of the box, and this door 28 serves to close the compartment 11 thereof. The door 28 is also adapted to be seated at its outer edge upon a ledge 29,

may best be the outer edge of the door 28- by the performer her 8.

Adjacent the ledge 26, the frame member 8 is undercut, as at 30, and the outer edge of the door 28 is complementally shaped (see Fig. 2')v whereby the door 28 may normally be retained in the closed position after the same is snapped shut in the manner to bepresently explain-ed; p v

The top and bottom edges of the door 28 are seated upon the ledges 31 and 32 pro-'- vided along the inner sides of the frame members 6 and 7. The door 28 preferably is not provided with any finger engaging member such as is provided in connection with the door 23.

' The operation of the box as above described understood by describing the use of the same card trick such, for example, as the exchange of'one card for another.

The card which is to be finally produced from the box is initially loaded in the compartment 10, below the freely opening door 23,the door 28 having previously been opened by striking the member 8 against the palm of his hand, thereby causing to be released from the undercut portion of the frame memher 8.

The card which is to be exchanged is now placed in the compartment 11, preferably by one of the spectators, whereupon the performer closes the door 28, pushing the same inwardly to cause the free edge thereof to snap into the undercut portion 30 of the frame member 8, the door 28 being meanwhile held closed by the operators fingers.

It should be understood that the elasticity of the frame member 8 will be sufficient to permit the edge of the door to be snapped ,into the undercut portion 30 thereof, for the purpose of thereafter holding the door in the closed position.

; At this stage of the performance, the performer customarily requests one of'the spectators to hold the box in the air, where the same maybe viewed by all of the spectators, and after a suitable time interval the person holding the box is requested to open the same, and the card which has previously been placed in the compartment 10 will then be disclosed,

as the spectator will naturally open the door 23upon which the finger piece 2 f is provided, more particularly as this door will open freely.

The. door 28 will now seemingly constitute a solid bottom for the box, and there are no apparent means for opening the same. In

fact, due to the shallowness of the box, there will be no suggestion to the spectators that thedoor 28 is provided, nor will any subsequent exam-inatiomof' the kind to which such I for the performance of a typical doors being free to open,

7 the opening of the box. The greater depth of the compartment 11 permits the reception 'ofthe bunch of torn pieces without causing the door 28 or the partition 9 to bulge.

It Will be seen that there is thus provided an improved-form of magic card box which is so constructed and arranged as to permit the same to be easily manipulated, and the which will not suggest 'to the appearance of trickery 1n lts construction.

spectators any act'eristic features of my-invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A magic card box comprising aframe, a

partition mounted in said frame subdividing said box into two compartments, two doors for closing said compartments, one of said the other of said doors being normally secured in the closed position and which when so secured see-mingly constitutes a fixed bottom for the box.

2. A magic card box comprising a frame, a partti'on mounted in said frame subdividing said box into two compartments, two doors for closing said compartments, said doors being hinged on a common axis, one of said doors being free to open, the other of said doors being normally secured in the closed position and which when so secured seemingly constitutes a fixed bottom for the box.

3. A magic card box comprising aframe, a partition mounted in said frame subdividing said box into two compartments, two doors for closing said compartments, said doors being hinged on a common axis, one of said doors being free to open, the other of said doors having a portion coacting withan undercut portion of the frame whereby said door is normally secured in the closed position and which when so secured seemingly constitutes a fixed bottom for the box.

4. A magic card box comiprisinga frame, a

Having thus described .the nature and charpartition mounted in said frame subdividing said box into two compartments, two doors for closing SELId; compartments, one of said doors being free't-o open and provided with a finger member tion thereof, portion coacting with an undercut portion of the frame whereby said door is normally secured in the closed position and which'when for convenient manipulaso secured seemingly constitutes a fixed bottom for the box. v 7

5. A magic card box comprising a frame,a

the other of said doors having a.

partition mounted in said frame subdividing said box into two compartments, two doors for closing said compartments, said doors being hinged on a common axis, one of said doors being free to open and provided with a finger member for convenient manipulation thereof, the other of said doors having a portion coacting with an undercut portion of the frame whereby said door is normally secured in the closed position and which when so secured seemingly constitutes a fixed bottom for the box.

6. A magic card box comprising a frame, a partition fixedly mounted in said frame subdividing said box into two compartments, two doors for closing said compartments, one of said doors being free to open, the other of said doors being normally secured in the closed position and which when so secured seemingly constitutes a fixed bottom for the box, and the frame members having internal ledges for seating the doors.

magic card box comprising a frame, a partition fixedly mounted dividing said box into two compartments, two doors for closing said compartments, said doors being hinged on a common axis, one of said doors being free to open, the other of said doors being normally secured in the closed position and which when so secured seemingly constitutes a fixed bottom for the box, and the frame members having internal ledges for seating the doors.

8. A magic card box comprising a frame, a partition fixedly mounted in said frame subdividing said box into two compartments, two doors for closing said compartments, said doors being hinged on a common axis, one of said doors being free to open, the other of said doors having a portion coacting with an undercut portion of the frame whereby said door is normally secured in the closed position and which when so secured seemingly constitutes a fixed bottom for the box, and the frame ledges for seating the doors.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

CARL F. BREHMER.

in said frame submembers having internal. 

